Bluegrass Martial Arts

Often Jar' Kai is paired as a variation of Niman. The only reason for this is because there is so little known of Niman, it was paired with Jar Kai as a passing thought.

The only common point is, if a lightsaber were disarmed, and acquired by the party doing the disarm, then they would need to know how to use two lightsabers, one in each hand.

The idea of taking the weapon from the enemy was the only point of similarity. That possibility, is why Jar Kai became a system, but the advantage of always having two swords at the ready, made Jar Kai a formal system itself.

More often Jar' Kai came into use when taking the sword of a fallen comrade in battle, to get a necessary advantage against a more experienced enemy. Consequently most practitioners of Jar Kai today, begin already armed with a lightsaber in each hand.

Jar' Kai is also known as the Flexible Form or the Way of the Dianoga, (fresh shallow water cephalopod that must telescope its eye above the water surface to see its prey) Jar Kai's flexibility manifests with alternating grips that change the Jar.

As already covered in Shii Cho, the Jar is a pattern of attack and defense traded in an exchange that loops continuously, a flow drill. In Shii Cho the parts are arranged in columns across with the part A and B interchanging. In Jar Kai the full sequence of moves are identical for both parts. Every attack is also a defense, so the full arrangement is followed with both parties doing the same steps.

Kai means pair, or two of a set. In the context of Jar Kai it means a weapon in each hand.

Jar' Kai is first of the last three forms, all of which are not So, single sword systems.

As Jar' Kai became a formal system rather than "what to do if you manage to collect a second weapon", the shorter Shoto blade was preferred when used in pair. This was to be able to move quickly without danger of cutting oneself.

Phase I of Jar' Kai uses only the double forward grip.

Phase II of Jar' Kai uses the other two grip styles, both swords reverse grip (Kai Cresh), and one forward one reverse (Kai Xe-Cresh) as well as using many of the patterns with a scissoring action (Kai Sai-Cho)

Phase III Jar' Kai experts can transition from one Jar to another seamlessly and change between the three grip options in combat.

The last four Jars mirror the first four Jars of Shii Cho, but using both hands together and the left hand works the pattern backwards. Like Shii Cho if one student begins at step four while the other starts at one the parts fit.

Moon Cha Jar

Right Moon Cha Cortay, Left Sun Sai Mok

Right Moon Cha Cho Orbital, Left Moon Mai Cortay

Right Sun Cha Cortay, Left Moon Sai Mok

Right Moon Sai Mok, Left Sun Cha Cortay

Right Moon Mai Cortay, Left Moon Cha Cho Orbital

Right Sun Sai Mok, Left Moon Cha Cortay

Sun Cha Jar

Right Sun Cha Cortay, Left Moon Sai Mok

Right Sun Cha Cho Orbital, Left Sun Mai Cortay

Right Moon Cha Cortay, Left Sun Sai Mok

Right Sun Sai Mok, Left Moon Cha Cortay

Right Sun Mai Cortay, Left Sun Cha Cho Orbital

Right Moon Sai Mok, Left Sun Cha Cortay

Moon Cha-Tai Jar

Right Moon Sai Mok, Left Moon Cha Cortay

Right Sun Tai Cortay, Left Sun Mai Cho

Right Moon Sai, Left Moon Mai Cortay

Right Moon Mai Cortay, Left Moon Sai

Right Sun Mai Cho, Left Sun Tai Cortay

Right Moon Cha Cortay, Left Moon Sai Mok

Sun Cha-Tai Jar

Right Sun Sai Mok, Left Sun Cha Cortay

Right Moon Tai Cortay, Left Moon Mai Cho

Right Sun Sai, Left Sun Mai Cortay

Right Sun Mai Cortay, Left Sun Sai

Right Moon Mai Cho, Left Moon Tai Cortay

Right Sun Cha Cortay, Left Sun Sai Mok

Ahsoka Tano is the most well known Jar' Kai Jedi. Trained by Anakin during the height of the clone wars, Ahsoka learned to use the more aggressive Jar' Kai form against more refined swords men. Her training came in the midst of the clone wars and that combined with Anakin being her teacher made for a very unorthodox course of learning. There were clues even during her time as a Padawan, while she was mastering Shii Cho, that she would be Jar' Kai, such as her regular use of the Cresh So, reverse grip. Eventually she was granted use of a second lightsaber.

She was regularly challenged to understand timing and distance better and to avoid the Sun Djem.

Anakin studied Jar' Kai further after he lost his arm to Count Dooku in their first battle.

Taking Obi Wan's lightsaber, Anakin attempted to have the two to one advantage, but he discovered instead he would have managed better, to have trusted Soresu, because he was quickly injured. After that he never trusted Jar' Kai as an effective style.

Taking Ahsoka as his Padawan was a forced decision, and a challenge to his prejudice against Jar' Kai. He resolved to prove to her and everyone, "Jar' Kai will get you killed", or make her better at Jar' Kai than any had ever been. He proved the later.